Display sign or similar article



Oct. 15, 1957 G. J. PAWELKA DISPLAY SIGN 0R SIMILAR ARTICLE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 3, 1955 FIGJ.

. INVENTOR:

Gus/av Jo/m Pawe/Aa BY5 v E g dziarrgg/ Oct. 15, 1957 w a. J. PAWELKA2,309,453

DISPLAY SIGN OR SIMILAR ARTICLE Filed Aug. 3, 1955 Y 2 Sheets-Sheei 2 INV EN TOR.

United States Patent 2,809,453 Patented Oct. 15, 1957 Reel 2,809,453DESPLAY SIGN R SIMILAR ARTICLE Gustav John Pawelka, Glenwood Landing, N.Y., assignor to Fm'rhaven Properties Corp., a corporation of DelawareApplication August 3, 1955, Serial No. 526,204

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) This invention relates generally to displaydevices and has particular reference to a display sign or placardsupported On an upright pole or standard.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved device ofthis character for use in stores or other places for the advertising ofgoods, or for the presentation of informative material. Obviously,however, the display device may be used in other places and for otherpurposes, if desired.

it is a more specific object of the invention to provide a displaydevice of staunch and practical construction, yet of such inexpensivecharacter that it may, if desired, be discarded after a relatively shortperiod of use; and to provide a display sign which can be very readilydismantled or erected and which, when dismantled, will occupy littlespace and may be conveniently handled, stored or shipped.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display sign of thischaracter which can be made of relatively inexpensive materials,essentially cardboard and paper; and in which a portion of thesupporting structure or post of the sign can serve as a container orenclosure for the other parts of the device for convenience in packing,handling or shipping. It is still another object of the invention toprovide a display sign which, when knocked down or disassembled, will bein convenient form, yet can be erected or set up very quickly withoutthe use of any special skill or tools. It is a further object of theinvention to provide a display sign in which the display sheets can beeasily changed whenever desired.

With these and other objects in view, I have devised the arrangement ofparts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in theclaims appended hereto.

in the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed,

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a display sign constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the sign with parts insection;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a view from underneath of the lower end of the lowersupporting tube;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the upper tube;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the display sheet;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a part of the upper tube;

Fig. 8 is a view from the rear of the upper portion of the displaysheet, with the upper supporting tube shown in section;

Fig. 9 shows a modified structure;

Fig. 10 is a view from underneath of the lower supporting tube, showingthe application thereto of a modified form of supporting feet;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view through the structure of Fig. 10;and

Fig. 12 shows one of the supporting feet (broken away ea L at theright-hand end) for the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to5.

Referring to the drawings, the sign includes an upright supporting postor standard composed of separable tubular sections. The lower supportingtube 1 may be made of any suitable material, and for economy inmanufacture it may be in the form of a relatively large-diameter,heavy-wall cardboard tube. Mounted to be telescopically slidable withinthe outer tube 1 is an inner tube 2, which may be of substantially thesame or of less length than the outer tube, and may also be composed ofcardboard, preferably of an outer diameter enabling it to slide withslight friction within the outer tube 1. The fit of the inner tube 2within the outer tube 1 can be such as to make it possible for the innertube to be retained frictionally in its extended position as shown inFigs. 1 and 2. In this position, the lower end of the tube 2 fitstelescopically within the upper end of the tube 1, and the tube 2projects for the greater portion of its length out of the upper end ofthe tube 1.

Extending downwardly from the upper end of the tube 2 arediametrically-opposite slots or notches 4, and adjacent to the opposite,or lower, end of the tube 2 is a transverse horizontal slot 3.

The display sheet or placard 5 bearing the advertising matter or otherdisplay material, may consist of a sheet of paper, textile fabric, orother suitable flexible sheet material, and it is provided at one endwith a stiffening and reinforcing strip 8 composed of cardboard or othersuitable relatively rigid material. The sheet 5 may be glued to thestrip 8 and possibly additionally or alternatively fastened thereto bystaples 15 or other equivalent fastening elements. The reinforcing strip8 may be a normally fiat strip of cardboard longitudinally scored on twoparallel lines to enable it to be folded into channel-shape,substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. This provides a rear,downwardly-directed flange 9 on the strip adapted for engagement withthe notches 4. At its central area, the flange 9 is provided with thetwo notches 10 (Fig. 8) which embrace the wall of the tube 2 within thenotches 4 and hold the sheet 5 against lateral displacement when it isattached to the tube 2.

At the opposite or lower end of the sheet 5 there is provided areinforcing strip 6 which is also a normally fiat strip of cardboard orother suitable material, provided with a rearwardly-projecting flange 7.Reinforcing strip 6 is attached to the sheet 5 by the staples 16 or bygluing it. Flange 7 is notched adjacent to its central area, asindicated at 11 in Fig. 3, and when the flange '7 is inserted into theslot 3, the notches 11 will engage with the ends of the slot, thusholding the lower end of the sheet or placard 5 against lateraldisplacement. The notches 4 at the upper end of the tube 2 and thehorizontal slot 3 at the lower region thereof are spaced justsufficiently to maintain the sign sheet 5 in a stretched planarcondition.

The supporting post for the sign, consisting of the tubes 1 and 2 asdescribed, is maintained in its upright position by feet 12 and 13 whichare detachably fitted in the lower end of the outer tube 1. This isshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. One of these feet, designated 13, isdisclosed in Fig. 12, wherein it will be seen that it consists of alength of stiif wire rod, provided with an offset part, orlaterally-bent loop 14 of a size enabling it to fit snugly within theopen lower end of the tube 1. The two rods 12 and 13 have their loopportions 14 placed in crossed relation within the lower end of the tube,and the leg portions of the rods extend radially from the tube and thusform feet that support the post. The loop 14 of the rod 12 is slightlyhigher than the loop 14 of the rod 13 to facilitate the interengagementof the parts and to position the radial feet in a single plane as shownin Fig. 2.

by the snugness of fit of these loop parts within the tube.

The tube 1 may now be stood upright on these supporting feet. The flange9 of the sheet or placard is then fitted into the notches-4 in tube2,'with the notches on the flange engaging with the wall of the 'tubewithin' the notches 4. The flange 7 'onthe lower reinforcement .6 is nowfitted into the slot 3 audits notches 11 are caused to engage the wallof the tube 2 within the slot 3. The sheet 5 will then lie in stretchedcondition between the notches 4 and the slot '3 as shown in Figs. 1 and2.

' The lower end of the tube 2 is then telescopically fitted into theupper end of the tubel and it will hold its position therein, either bytightness of fit withinthe tube 1,

or by the fact that the strip 7 extending through slot 3 will limit thedescent of tube 2 within the outer tube 1. The erected'display signappears as seen in Fig. l.

The parts of the device other than the tube 1, namely, the sheet 5(rolled up), the inner tube 2, and the sup- 7 porting feet 12 and 13,are adapted to fit inside the outer tube 1 when the sign is in itsdismantled condition, so that the outer tube 1 then acts as a case orcontainer affording protection for the parts of the sign while reducingit to convenient shipping and storage size.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have 'shown a slightly modified construction of thesupporting feet, wherein each of the feet consists of a rod 25 having alaterally-bent end 26 adapted to be removably fitted into a hole 24provided in or througha plug 23 fixed in the lower end of the outertube 1. The feet 25, of which three are shown, extend radially from thetube 1 and support the tube 1 in a manner similar to the functioning ofthe feet 12 and 13.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 9, the inner tube isprovided adjacent to its opposite ends with the horizontal slots shownat 18 and 19. In this embodiment of the invention, the sheet or placard5 is provided at its opposite ends with the flat reinforcing strips 21and '22 which are respectively inserted into the slots 18 and 19. Inthis embodiment, also, the major part of the inner tube is of relativelysmall diameter and is provided at one end with a sleeve which fitssnugly within the outer tube. The slot indicated at 19 is locatedclosely adjacent to the upper end of the sleeve 20. The reinforcingstrip 22, when fitted in slot 19, limits the descent of the tube 17 intothe outer tube 1. This embodiment of the invention is capable of beingdismantled and the parts thereof housed within the outer sleeve 1 in themanner explained with respect to the embodiment of the inventiondisclosed in Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings.

It will thus be seen that the device may be made of V V inexpensivematerials; when collapsed and with its parts housed in the outer tube itpresents the aspect of a long cylinder for easy shipment and storage;and it is easily erected and dismantled. While I have Suggested that thedevice is primarily applicable for use as a sign or display placard, itwill be apparent that it can have other uses, for example, as a portablescreen for the display of motion pictures or slides.

Having described several embodiments of the invention, it will beunderstood that the invention is not to be restricted thereto, but isbroad enough to include all structures coming within the scope of theannexed claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: a

1; A display sign or similar article comprising a vertical standardincluding separable tubes one of which is a lower tube and the other anupper tube, the latter having its lower end telescopically within theupper end of the lower tube, the upper'tube being slotted at its upperend and having a horizontal slot near its lower end, a

being of substantially equal lengths and each of said tubes being ofuniform diameter throughout its length-so that said upper tube may betelescoped in its entirety into the lower tube when said placard isdisengaged from said upper tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

